# Mac Baren-The Cube



## mmiller (Nov 17, 2011)

Mac Barens Cube is a very interesting tobacco to say the least. When I first received it I was surprised it actually didn't come in a tin. It came in a silver designer looking box. I opened it and the box was made out of wood with a spring loaded hinge and wood grain paper lined the inside. What was actually holding the tobacco was a golden 100 gram pouch. I opened the pouch and what came out was a very strong vanilla, caramel and brown sugar smell. According to the box it is 5 different tobaccos which consist of Burley, Kentucky, Cavendish, Black Cavendish and Virginia. This was very apparent when looking at the tobacco because there are all sorts of different cut of tobacco. The box says it contains both pressed and loose cut tobacco which was also true. There appeared to be broken flake, some cube cut, ribbon and so on. Getting ready to smoke, it came out of the pouch rather wet so I dried it out for around 30 min and that made it have about the perfect moisture content. When filling a pipe even with all the different cuts of tobacco it packs rather well, no problems fitting it into my pipe. Movie forward to lighting it. I did the charring light and then tamped it and did another light and that was all I needed. For flavor it definitely tastes like an aromatic with the flavors of vanilla, caramel and brown sugar. Every once in a while fruit flavors would pop through at random times. There were the flavors of banana, coconut and the occasional citrus fruit the package speaks of. Towards the end there gets to be a little bit of a tobacco flavor but to taste it you have to look for it. I would consider this a very sweet tasting tobacco. It did burn great, I didnt need any relights, it didnt burn hot, there was no moisture buildup and I also ened with nothing but a fine gray ash in the bottom of the bowl. I think this would be a great tobacco to go with either coffee in the morning or an after dinner smoke providing you didnt have anything too sweet to eat.

I personally like this tobacco but to warn everyone it is on the sweet side. It does need drying time to smoke without any moisture buildup and I would recommend it to at least try. It would be a nice tobacco when you are looking for that little sweet treat of a smoke. Overall I would rate it about a 3.5 out of 5 I would buy it again but I dont crave the sweetness of this tobacco too often so it will take me a while to get through it.


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## karatekyle (Nov 2, 2010)

I only had one bowl (thanks Matt!) of it but I will second the sweetness. For me, its a dessert blend. When you've had a bowl of IF/RY/etc and you want a bit of candy to finish up with, this would be a blend for you. Its not into the "cloyingly sweet" category but its about as close as a blend can comfortably get without being overly sweet. If any of you have ever eaten Divinity, it reminds me of that. Sweet with a sort of brown sugar/praline hint in the background.

Great review Matt!


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## freestoke (Feb 13, 2011)

I didn't expect such kind words for Cube! Very well done, Matt. I enjoyed this review a lot! :tu


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## Xodar (Mar 4, 2011)

Great review, I have wondered about this blend but have not pulled the trigger yet. Very descriptive, it may creep up the "try" list.


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## TanZ2005 (Jun 25, 2006)

Very nice review I have been looking at buying some of this in the New Year, Sounds like something I could relax with at night. 

James


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## TanZ2005 (Jun 25, 2006)

Just wanted to say Thank you Matt for sending me a couple of bowls, It was very smooth and sweet. Will for sure have to order some. Again Thank you and Great Review..

James


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## Briars&Havanas (Jan 5, 2012)

Seen this one in the local tobacconist, seems interesting. Might give it a try soon.


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## TommyTree (Jan 7, 2012)

So the reason for the name is for the tin it comes in and not the tobacco? I'd think it would at least be a cube cut. The tobacco sounds interesting, though. Was there ever a tobacco flavor coming through the flavors, and did the flavors last the entire bowl?


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## freestoke (Feb 13, 2011)

TommyTree said:


> So the reason for the name is for the tin it comes in and not the tobacco?


Can we look forward to Tetrahedron and Icosohedron? At least we know it would end at 5 blends. *"Even God can't make more than five regular solids." - Euler.*


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## mmiller (Nov 17, 2011)

TommyTree said:


> So the reason for the name is for the tin it comes in and not the tobacco? I'd think it would at least be a cube cut. The tobacco sounds interesting, though. Was there ever a tobacco flavor coming through the flavors, and did the flavors last the entire bowl?


It was consistently that caramel/brown sugar/vanilla flavor all the way through the only time that the tobacco could slightly be tasted was at the end when all the tar and ashes are all compacted together at the bottom.


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## HWiebe (Jul 13, 2010)

Thanks for the review Matt. I was considering Cube on my last order.


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## mmiller (Nov 17, 2011)

HWiebe said:


> Thanks for the review Matt. I was considering Cube on my last order.


Im glad the review was helpful, it seems like people are scared to try it so I wrote this review to help either make or break it for people.


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## HWiebe (Jul 13, 2010)

mmiller said:


> Im glad the review was helpful, it seems like people are scared to try it so I wrote this review to help either make or break it for people.


Looking back my post was ambiguous. I meant I am looking forward to trying it in the future.


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## Firedawg (Nov 8, 2010)

glad I read this review. Was gonna buy a tin but I think I might pass now. Thanks so much for the review. Bummer I really wanted the box lol!


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## Wallbright (Jan 2, 2011)

Great review! Maybe split it up into some more paragraphs next time as a block of text is hard for me to read as far as paying attention.


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## imperial Stout (Nov 21, 2008)

I must be confusing this with something else... I thought the actual tobacco was a pressed brick?


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## mmiller (Nov 17, 2011)

imperial Stout said:


> I must be confusing this with something else... I thought the actual tobacco was a pressed brick?


Nope you are thinking of plug tobacco like Jack Knife Plug or 3P's The Cube is a ready rubbed style tobacco


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